you touch a little on this, but i think part of the allure of the prodigy narrative is that it also often...brushes aside other barriers to "success" (or even fulfillment). if you just stumble upon your secret talent, if you just work hard enough...you could be Great (whether it's famous, rich, immortalized, etc). it ignores the material circumstances that make this extreme bootstrap narrative genuinely impossible. (and it doesn't question WHY we value skill in certain areas but not others.) i played piano for years and i met so many people who told me they regretted not sticking with music lessons because they might have got somewhere. but like...most people don't! the classical music world at least is extremely racist, sexist, and classist, and it takes a lot of time and money to get decent at an instrument. i enjoyed The Queen's Gambit because i'm a sucker for a genius narrative, but one thing that frustrated me is how it's only at the very last minute Beth realizes she got where she is because of all the people that invested themselves (time, money, compassion, instruction) in her. the "genius" doesn't exist without a community and without considerable resources. things that a lot of people don't have equitable access to. sorry to ramble, but great video! i'm glad i'm not the only one who came away from the show trying to decide if i wanted to read a bunch of chess strategy.
Thank you! I'm quite good at drawing, so I often hear "I wish I could draw" from people. And I'm like... I didn't magically wake up being able to draw! if you did it you'd be better at it haha! I really felt like there was an anti-capitalist undercurrent in TQG, but then I do see anti-capitalist undercurrents wherever I go :D
The "I wish I'd stuck with it" lament also makes the mistake of ignoring all the opportunities they *did* take, the things they chose to pursue instead of e.g. the piano, and the benefits of those things that they take for granted. Maybe they quit piano because they didn't have enough time to play with friends, and by quitting piano they grew a deeper bond with those people. Or maybe the reason wasn't so noble, maybe they quit because they didn't like the feeling of not being good at something. Even so, that's an impulse that everyone deals with, and if you dig deep enough, I'm sure anyone can find several dozen things they didn't choose to pursue, partly because they didn't get the immediate gratification that comes with natural talent. It's a thing to be aware of, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat That's incredibly relatable. The other phrase I hear so often when I show my art is "I can only draw stick people!" It's amazing how many people say the exact same things, as though there's a script somewhere I'm not privy to.
Great point. I'm intellectually 'gifted' and have spend some years in social groups dedicated to it in my late teens when I was trying to figure myself out. And I can tell you from experience that just raw processing power is far from the only thing, or even the thing, that makes you succeed. A lot of gifted students struggle with the school system and drop out, like a shocking amount. If it isn't picked up on early enough, or not supported and developed in the right way (like, encouraging hard work and not raw ability) there's a huge chance gifted young people will become unmotivated and underachieving adults, not to mention the emotional damage it does when you've been told all your life how very smart you are and you inevitably hanging your entire personality onto that, only to then fail miserably when you have to actually try to succeed at something, having your entire sense of self shattered and becoming depressed and again, underachieving. There are so, so many environmental factors that come into play for 'genius' to succeed. My brother, although also very intelligent, was jealous of me for being gifted, despite the fact that he, in contrast to me, sought out to learn qualities like perseverance and frustration tolerance which has brought him much further, much faster than me academically.
That end sequence definitely opened the series up to a reading in which what Beth WANTS is to be chess champion but what she NEEDS is communism. Luscious video as ever!
You don’t need to be chess champion, you’re already TH-cam Video Essay (Sacrificial) Queen. And the singing! Hotter than a king prawn gambit. When faced with the prospect of being old (ie the present) and being only remembered for past glories, I too think of the immortal words of Oscar Wilde: “This isn’t even my final form”
Queens Gambit felt like a good sports anime. And every time I finished a sports anime I suddenly wonna play that sport! Don't worry the feeling fades pretty quickly.
As an autistic girl, my response to the show was less "I wish I was this good at chess" and much more "finally a good representation of the internal experience of special interests" even if i'm no prodigy. And I think the show as fantasy is important to that representation because special interests are a way of recharging, self-soothing, a method of coping with the unbearable chaos of the world and our own heads. It's often positive, but can become pathologically avoidant if you're under enough stress. The show conveys all of the emotional content of a special interest, uses her winning to give the viewers the dopamine reward that the interest in itself provides, shows the negatives of using it too much and the other destructive ways that autistics resort to to calm our brains.
"The fantasy of being really good at something that could not withstand my lack of ability or resistance to having to... try.. at all" is a sentiment that is really interesting to me. It's the reason that I resisted the infectious drive to play chess after watching the show, I didn't want to fall into the trap of failing or trying, so I failed to try.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat If you're still interested in chess, I actually recommend you try playing online against other people. Chess bots (even the bad ones) are way too good to really let you learn the game in a natural way, and my own affair with chess has taught me that it's a lot more fun to play against opponents who are actually capable of making the same dumb mistakes as I am. Phenomenal video, by the way
This video essay was so ridiculously well done, it seems you’ve become one of our favourite essayists on this platform, and we’ll look forward to what you’ll do with this talent (;
I was scared for Beth throughout most of the show, because she always seemed to be walking on an edge. Every loss could have meant the loss of her sanity in my head, her loosing control and never gaining it back. Having past experiences with addiction, the drug part of the show made me so anxious.
It's funny, when I watch video essays, I'm fantasizing about making my own...and being really good at it. I used to due the same with comedic reviews when those were all the rage.
I keep coming back to this essay and recommending it to my similarly easily overtaken by the existential ennui of "not having made it yet" chums, and I still wanna say--fantastic essay, Grace, it always reminds me that it's about enjoying the process more than the reward of the work
Really, really great stuff. Won't go into too much detail, but it suffices to say that you are able to clearly and deeply get across knowledge from pieces of art, and it makes me feel things and that's awesome.
Every time a new Whats So Great About That video comes out I’m faced with the same two options, rewatch the titular series this channel just gave me a whole new perspective on, or rewatch every video on this channel because it’s the highest quality content. Truly, I am between a rock and a hard place.
A recent idea that came from a cousine's talk was 'I know I'm not supposed to know, so better not know", after telling him a career crysis. We were not only pointing out that we don't truly know ourselves, but that we cannot tell for sure; it is not the case that we're pursuing vague dreams, it is asking ourselves if we are to know whether we can know not not to pursue anything. "Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar" wrote Serrat.
The TH-cam gods decided to remind me about your channel and the fascinating content of your video essays so now I’m obliged to binge them all, I hope you’ve had a good 2021 thus far !
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Excellent to hear ! Your videos have been really helping me with a motivational slump right now and introspection is beautiful :)
I tried to find the version of the song that was played on the credits before realizing it was performed by you. On the topic of the video though, I hadn’t heard of this show up until this point. I’ve already always had an interest in chess. I have several sets myself, my favorite probably being the set my dad bought in San Francisco’s Chinatown on a visit once many years back. Not many people tend to be keen on playing with me, or people seem to be too busy to take the time. I find it kinda funny that thanks to this show that chess is in for a little bit and perhaps I might get out there again. Something that ended up resonating with me was your highlighting of the genius narrative though. I had been vaguely aware of it I think. Probably because I was a gifted kid in school who hasn’t really amounted to anything. I’m still young and have time, but no big crazy success story by 18 here. And I think on some level I wish I had and kinda realized I may have ended up rubbing aspects of that into the characters in the stories I write for myself. Overall it’ll just end up being something I’ll likely be thinking about for most of today and I appreciate the avenue to some form of introspection.
Chess seems to be really alluring. The pogchamps tournament also stirred a lot of interest in chess. For me the show reminded me of my former love for chess, I was never good at it, but it was fun. In the end my rising fear of failure that got worse over the years drove me away, but I do miss it a lot.
Always loved the thrill of excitement, the Hype, the adrenaline rush of wanting and working for it more than the hit of dopamine that comes with getting it.
Aaah... So you've finally experienced what I call the "Shonen sports anime syndrome" I can't count the number of sports I wanted to practice because I saw an anime on it. The Queen's Gambit borrows a lot from sports anime structure
Oh it's not just sports! I watched a docu-series on veterinary students when I was in college and despite having no aptitude or enjoyment of the sciences, still thought "damn I should have gone to veterinary school!!" But... of course I don't actually think that. I just love to dream :D
This is such a useful and interesting perspective! I've indulged myself in the chess mania that seems to be happening right now (luckily I already had a board) and I'm kind of loving just letting myself be awful at it? I lose so many games and its nice to just be shit at something without being bothered
I can't source this quote (though I think it was Sun Tzu): "He who loses a battle will go back to win. He who wins a battle will go back to win again."
Hey just wanted to tell you that I love your videos. I have watched some of them multiple times and you're just really good at making an interesting point whilst being super entertaining. I'm looking forward to every new video.
It's impressive how you connected the series with Jenny Holzer's work (one of my fave contemporary artists) and AART by Hank Green (one of my fave books)
I haven't seen this series, though I have heard nothing but endless praise. Considering the drama that can be derived from the cerebral, zero sum game nature that is chess I'm surprised that Chess movies/series aren't a more common genre. The only other thing that can be categorized as this is the Steven Zaillian's Searching for Bobby Fischer, which touched on the themes of young prodigies as well.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I've never heard of that film. On a different note, the concept of getting what you wished for and yet not being satisfied, a prominent theme in the Queens Gambit as you outlines, reminds me of the same theme being expressed in season 2 of Fargo through the character arch of Mike Milligan. He goes through great turmoil to achieve what he wants only for it to be not as he expected. This comparison just popped into my head.
This is why after my dreams of wanting to be a Magic the Gathering pro was crushed I decided to no longer have any dreams of being good at any sport. I say while still upset I gave up chess as a child well knowing I would've never become a grandmaster.
The Jolene question could have been avoided if they had followed the novel and had Beth seek out Jolene for help during the nadir of her addiction. It would be the only change I would have made in the series’ script. That said, Jolene didn’t “inexplicably” show up out of nowhere. She came to tell Beth about Shaibel’s death. YMMV, of course on how convincing this explanation is, but it is an explanation.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Honestly, your videos are so diverse my guesses range from something about how gender roles effect the world of revolutionary girl utena. To how our modden obsession with big foot ties into thousands of years of fascination with half-human half-animal creatures. Or something about what the prevalence of roses as a romantic symbol means, haha. I really love your videos and love learning about new things and prospects!
I needed this video right now. I'm in a point of my life where I'm between spaces, between goals, and that was really bothering me. This video made me realize that I can see it as a good thing, that I have so many possibilities in front of me. Thank you for making me want to play again. And on that poignant note, where in the world can I download your gorgeous song cover?
Was there a Scott Walker reference in here? Reference to the movie the Seventh Seal and, I'm fairly certain, a different mix of the Old Mans Back Again? If so, well done. Otherwise, still well done, enjoyed the video.
A minor criticism (but one nonetheless) I have is that I really wished you included citations to your literary references in the description. Its a huge help and means a lot to people (including me) who've never even heard of these texts/works, but are very interested in learning more about the subject matter. I just hope its something you consider adding in future videos.
I don't put them in the description because it's a patreon perk, but I always make sure to include enough information in the video that all references can be very easily found! It's why I screenshot articles instead of just quoting them.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I'm not kidding you when I sat there and went, "Did The Cranberries cover this song and I had no idea?" before reading it was you!
What do you after becoming the champion? No idea. like many asians that watched fight club. finish school, now what? college, now what? get a job, now what?
The show could've actually said something if the last episode wasn't just cliché and cheesy. All the people she stepped on emotionally for the sake of her obsession comes to save her? Yeah, right, good message.
Hey Guys, Grace is back (read this in the voice from Futurama's first All My Circuits episode. Hey guys, Calculon's back. Makes it more fun. I wish there were GIFs on TH-cam. Sigh.).
So... Are you going to release your cover of "for the love of the game" and allow me to ignore the fact that I could have spared myself the several minutes long youtube research for an incredibly elusive regina spektor cover of the song, or am I doomed to dissatisfaction and embarrassment?
Ahh thank you so much! :D The original is elusive enough! Alas, I only recorded the chorus. It was originally my intention to do the whole song but it was my first time using the music software I just got and things are hard to do haha!
This essay is really affecting and I don’t have anything terribly insightful to say in response or reaction but holy shit drive45 mentioned I love them …
you touch a little on this, but i think part of the allure of the prodigy narrative is that it also often...brushes aside other barriers to "success" (or even fulfillment). if you just stumble upon your secret talent, if you just work hard enough...you could be Great (whether it's famous, rich, immortalized, etc). it ignores the material circumstances that make this extreme bootstrap narrative genuinely impossible. (and it doesn't question WHY we value skill in certain areas but not others.) i played piano for years and i met so many people who told me they regretted not sticking with music lessons because they might have got somewhere. but like...most people don't! the classical music world at least is extremely racist, sexist, and classist, and it takes a lot of time and money to get decent at an instrument. i enjoyed The Queen's Gambit because i'm a sucker for a genius narrative, but one thing that frustrated me is how it's only at the very last minute Beth realizes she got where she is because of all the people that invested themselves (time, money, compassion, instruction) in her. the "genius" doesn't exist without a community and without considerable resources. things that a lot of people don't have equitable access to.
sorry to ramble, but great video! i'm glad i'm not the only one who came away from the show trying to decide if i wanted to read a bunch of chess strategy.
Thank you! I'm quite good at drawing, so I often hear "I wish I could draw" from people. And I'm like... I didn't magically wake up being able to draw! if you did it you'd be better at it haha!
I really felt like there was an anti-capitalist undercurrent in TQG, but then I do see anti-capitalist undercurrents wherever I go :D
The "I wish I'd stuck with it" lament also makes the mistake of ignoring all the opportunities they *did* take, the things they chose to pursue instead of e.g. the piano, and the benefits of those things that they take for granted. Maybe they quit piano because they didn't have enough time to play with friends, and by quitting piano they grew a deeper bond with those people. Or maybe the reason wasn't so noble, maybe they quit because they didn't like the feeling of not being good at something. Even so, that's an impulse that everyone deals with, and if you dig deep enough, I'm sure anyone can find several dozen things they didn't choose to pursue, partly because they didn't get the immediate gratification that comes with natural talent. It's a thing to be aware of, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.
"I coulda been a contender"
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat That's incredibly relatable. The other phrase I hear so often when I show my art is "I can only draw stick people!" It's amazing how many people say the exact same things, as though there's a script somewhere I'm not privy to.
Great point. I'm intellectually 'gifted' and have spend some years in social groups dedicated to it in my late teens when I was trying to figure myself out. And I can tell you from experience that just raw processing power is far from the only thing, or even the thing, that makes you succeed. A lot of gifted students struggle with the school system and drop out, like a shocking amount. If it isn't picked up on early enough, or not supported and developed in the right way (like, encouraging hard work and not raw ability) there's a huge chance gifted young people will become unmotivated and underachieving adults, not to mention the emotional damage it does when you've been told all your life how very smart you are and you inevitably hanging your entire personality onto that, only to then fail miserably when you have to actually try to succeed at something, having your entire sense of self shattered and becoming depressed and again, underachieving. There are so, so many environmental factors that come into play for 'genius' to succeed. My brother, although also very intelligent, was jealous of me for being gifted, despite the fact that he, in contrast to me, sought out to learn qualities like perseverance and frustration tolerance which has brought him much further, much faster than me academically.
That end sequence definitely opened the series up to a reading in which what Beth WANTS is to be chess champion but what she NEEDS is communism.
Luscious video as ever!
Haha, yes! :D
Da, comrade.
You don’t need to be chess champion, you’re already TH-cam Video Essay (Sacrificial) Queen. And the singing! Hotter than a king prawn gambit. When faced with the prospect of being old (ie the present) and being only remembered for past glories, I too think of the immortal words of Oscar Wilde: “This isn’t even my final form”
Hehe 👑 ❤️
Ah yes. I'll always remember oscar Wilde's most erudite quote: get rekt scrubs.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Queens Gambit felt like a good sports anime. And every time I finished a sports anime I suddenly wonna play that sport!
Don't worry the feeling fades pretty quickly.
It so is! Especially structurally. Tournament arcs and all.
It fades so quickly because you aren't in school anymore and not free 😭
That's literally every fantasy/dystopian movie with a great setting
As an autistic girl, my response to the show was less "I wish I was this good at chess" and much more "finally a good representation of the internal experience of special interests" even if i'm no prodigy. And I think the show as fantasy is important to that representation because special interests are a way of recharging, self-soothing, a method of coping with the unbearable chaos of the world and our own heads. It's often positive, but can become pathologically avoidant if you're under enough stress. The show conveys all of the emotional content of a special interest, uses her winning to give the viewers the dopamine reward that the interest in itself provides, shows the negatives of using it too much and the other destructive ways that autistics resort to to calm our brains.
I'm an autistic girl too! :D
I think you're totally right!
This is such an incredible description of how it feels to have it as a long term hobby
"The fantasy of being really good at something that could not withstand my lack of ability or resistance to having to... try.. at all" is a sentiment that is really interesting to me. It's the reason that I resisted the infectious drive to play chess after watching the show, I didn't want to fall into the trap of failing or trying, so I failed to try.
Haha, yes. I played chess against a computer for about an hour a day for 2 weeks, but then I got stuck and haven't played since :D
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat If you're still interested in chess, I actually recommend you try playing online against other people. Chess bots (even the bad ones) are way too good to really let you learn the game in a natural way, and my own affair with chess has taught me that it's a lot more fun to play against opponents who are actually capable of making the same dumb mistakes as I am.
Phenomenal video, by the way
I am deeply envious of your ability to arrange and record gorgeous covers for your credits. Also this video rules.
Thank youuu! :D
My great admiration for chess Is as big as my lack of talent in the game
This video essay was so ridiculously well done, it seems you’ve become one of our favourite essayists on this platform, and we’ll look forward to what you’ll do with this talent (;
Thank you!! hehe
I was scared for Beth throughout most of the show, because she always seemed to be walking on an edge. Every loss could have meant the loss of her sanity in my head, her loosing control and never gaining it back. Having past experiences with addiction, the drug part of the show made me so anxious.
Having suddenly grown a love for chess in the past two weeks, I can't say I didn't cry a little because of how good this essay was.
Ahhh, thank you!
I got randomly reccomended this, not complaining at all
Awesome! :D
0:12 hey i go there every other week. also judd books which is nearby
It's funny, when I watch video essays, I'm fantasizing about making my own...and being really good at it. I used to due the same with comedic reviews when those were all the rage.
I keep coming back to this essay and recommending it to my similarly easily overtaken by the existential ennui of "not having made it yet" chums, and I still wanna say--fantastic essay, Grace, it always reminds me that it's about enjoying the process more than the reward of the work
Thank you! :D I'm glad you continue to get something out of it
My new favorite channel ❤❤❤
Thank you! 🥰
Really, really great stuff. Won't go into too much detail, but it suffices to say that you are able to clearly and deeply get across knowledge from pieces of art, and it makes me feel things and that's awesome.
Thank you so much! That really means a lot to hear ❤
Every time a new Whats So Great About That video comes out I’m faced with the same two options, rewatch the titular series this channel just gave me a whole new perspective on, or rewatch every video on this channel because it’s the highest quality content. Truly, I am between a rock and a hard place.
Thank you so much!
*[tries to play chess]*
the art of losing isn't _too_ hard to master
Haha, I love that poem!
Literally the best video essayist on youtube THERE I said it
❤
I said it too!
A recent idea that came from a cousine's talk was 'I know I'm not supposed to know, so better not know", after telling him a career crysis.
We were not only pointing out that we don't truly know ourselves, but that we cannot tell for sure; it is not the case that we're pursuing vague dreams, it is asking ourselves if we are to know whether we can know not not to pursue anything.
"Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar" wrote Serrat.
That ending song is simply divine!
:D
Fantastic, as always! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights. And also, love your voice and your editing. 💗
Thank you! :D
The TH-cam gods decided to remind me about your channel and the fascinating content of your video essays so now I’m obliged to binge them all, I hope you’ve had a good 2021 thus far !
Aw thank you! :D
More videos should be coming in the second half of the year!
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Excellent to hear ! Your videos have been really helping me with a motivational slump right now and introspection is beautiful :)
Damn this video essay is so much better than i thought it would be! Incredibly compelling!!
Thank you! I hope other people give it a shot too haha
Your video essays are always such a satisfying blend of compelling arguments and artistry!
Thank you! :D
I tried to find the version of the song that was played on the credits before realizing it was performed by you.
On the topic of the video though, I hadn’t heard of this show up until this point. I’ve already always had an interest in chess. I have several sets myself, my favorite probably being the set my dad bought in San Francisco’s Chinatown on a visit once many years back. Not many people tend to be keen on playing with me, or people seem to be too busy to take the time. I find it kinda funny that thanks to this show that chess is in for a little bit and perhaps I might get out there again.
Something that ended up resonating with me was your highlighting of the genius narrative though. I had been vaguely aware of it I think. Probably because I was a gifted kid in school who hasn’t really amounted to anything. I’m still young and have time, but no big crazy success story by 18 here. And I think on some level I wish I had and kinda realized I may have ended up rubbing aspects of that into the characters in the stories I write for myself.
Overall it’ll just end up being something I’ll likely be thinking about for most of today and I appreciate the avenue to some form of introspection.
Thank you, I'm glad to hear that! :)
And apparently now has never been a better time to get people to play chess haha
Chess seems to be really alluring. The pogchamps tournament also stirred a lot of interest in chess.
For me the show reminded me of my former love for chess, I was never good at it, but it was fun. In the end my rising fear of failure that got worse over the years drove me away, but I do miss it a lot.
Always loved the thrill of excitement, the Hype, the adrenaline rush of wanting and working for it more than the hit of dopamine that comes with getting it.
Aaah... So you've finally experienced what I call the "Shonen sports anime syndrome"
I can't count the number of sports I wanted to practice because I saw an anime on it.
The Queen's Gambit borrows a lot from sports anime structure
Oh it's not just sports! I watched a docu-series on veterinary students when I was in college and despite having no aptitude or enjoyment of the sciences, still thought "damn I should have gone to veterinary school!!" But... of course I don't actually think that. I just love to dream :D
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat
Haha ! I see
Makes sense.
I personally like seeing passionate people try very hard
another fantastic essay. i am in awe of how you can touch on so many ideas in such a short time. that ending made me emotional, how could you :'(
Aw thank you! :D
You are a master of this medium like no other - thanks for the great essay
Thank you! :D
This is such a useful and interesting perspective!
I've indulged myself in the chess mania that seems to be happening right now (luckily I already had a board) and I'm kind of loving just letting myself be awful at it? I lose so many games and its nice to just be shit at something without being bothered
Yes, that's true! Very freeing :D
I can't source this quote (though I think it was Sun Tzu):
"He who loses a battle will go back to win. He who wins a battle will go back to win again."
Excellent as always. Properly laughed out loud at the spock bit and the "shh dont worry about it" credits!
Hey just wanted to tell you that I love your videos. I have watched some of them multiple times and you're just really good at making an interesting point whilst being super entertaining. I'm looking forward to every new video.
Thank you so much! :D
Dude you deserve more views. Best video essayist on yt
Thank you! :D
Loved the humorous asides especially in this one! Great work grace!
Thank you!
omg the AART reference!!! i was already sold by this video but now i'm double sold
Always love your editing! I've been hesitant on this show for some reason maybe will end up checking it out as this has me intrigued.
:D
Top 3 favorite creators on TH-cam for sure. Just non-stop excellence.
Thank you! :D
It's impressive how you connected the series with Jenny Holzer's work (one of my fave contemporary artists) and AART by Hank Green (one of my fave books)
It is impressive how I know all your favourite things. I had to stalk you for months to find out, MONTHS!
Wow this is what I've been wanting to find for a long time.
Another amazing video!
I missed your channel so much!!!
Thank you!
Awesome analysis and credits song!
Thank you! :D
Love this channel.
2:10 confused me for a minute until I realized DECIDED is totally vertically symmetrical
Love it! I'm also watching Last Dance on Netflix right now... talk about obsessing over a game
I haven't seen this series, though I have heard nothing but endless praise. Considering the drama that can be derived from the cerebral, zero sum game nature that is chess I'm surprised that Chess movies/series aren't a more common genre. The only other thing that can be categorized as this is the Steven Zaillian's Searching for Bobby Fischer, which touched on the themes of young prodigies as well.
There's also Queen of Katwe! :D
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I've never heard of that film.
On a different note, the concept of getting what you wished for and yet not being satisfied, a prominent theme in the Queens Gambit as you outlines, reminds me of the same theme being expressed in season 2 of Fargo through the character arch of Mike Milligan. He goes through great turmoil to achieve what he wants only for it to be not as he expected. This comparison just popped into my head.
I am not going to ask for that song at the end, but I wish it would fully exist ^^ That's something I want.
Aww ^^
Thank you for this, I literally solved all my problems
This is why after my dreams of wanting to be a Magic the Gathering pro was crushed I decided to no longer have any dreams of being good at any sport. I say while still upset I gave up chess as a child well knowing I would've never become a grandmaster.
Aw, I think the beautiful thing about dreams is that they never have to have anything to do with reality ✨
what a VIDEO!!!!! so excellent
This is such a great video!
Thank you!
What the….🤯
This is immaculate what a vid holy moly
:D
I love watching great videos with which I disagree with (if only in part). It opens up my horizon. Thank you.
Cool, glad to hear it! :D
This channel has way too few subscribers for the sheer quality and depth its content.
Thank you!
This video has some amazing editing.
4:01 This part made me laugh out loud.
:D
I love this content. Thank you so much
How come you always make a video about whatever idea I’ve been thinking about ❤️
May I add, TQG is structurally a freaking anime! A tournament arc anime at that. Just that it was done in live action.
thank you !
hey good video essay, i dont enjoy video essays a lot anymore, this is a good video essay
Beautiful words
Commenting for the algorithm overlord. You're so eloquent 👌
This video depressed me... SUBSCRIBED!
The Jolene question could have been avoided if they had followed the novel and had Beth seek out Jolene for help during the nadir of her addiction. It would be the only change I would have made in the series’ script.
That said, Jolene didn’t “inexplicably” show up out of nowhere. She came to tell Beth about Shaibel’s death. YMMV, of course on how convincing this explanation is, but it is an explanation.
Wonderful
We miss you
Awww, I will return!
What a great vid! Subbed and bell’d!
Thank you! :D
Hey Grace, pawn to e4.
I resign
Hope you’re doing well. Miss seeing your work.
Thank you! I am, just busy right now! I'll be getting back to video making after July :)
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Oh! That's great to hear! I was getting worried! Such an underrated channel :0 Take your time and stay awesome.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat As a long-time fan this was an amusing comment to randomly stumble across at 11pm on July 31st
@@holbic2510 lol let 'after July' commence! (I am already back to making hehe, next video hopefully at the end of August/beginning of September!)
Why are you stalling, Captain?
I don't want the game to end.
I always try and guess what your next video will be about, I'm always wrong.
What did you guess this video would be about?
I'd love to know what metrics you use to guess haha
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Honestly, your videos are so diverse my guesses range from something about how gender roles effect the world of revolutionary girl utena.
To how our modden obsession with big foot ties into thousands of years of fascination with half-human half-animal creatures.
Or something about what the prevalence of roses as a romantic symbol means, haha.
I really love your videos and love learning about new things and prospects!
@@lets-all-love-lain Haha, thank you!
Honestly I don't know what the videos will be about myself until they're done XD
SHHDONTWORRYABOUTIT!! duhhduuhhdunnuhhduh
Happiness is just a moment before you want more happiness
this is why roguelites or roguelikes are good
10:17 I feel personally attacked.
Haha, always know that I am attacking myself first
Awesome, smart analysis! Really, we can say it: the dark side of The American Dream.
this is the earliest i've ever been! hey!
New fan👍👍💯
I needed this video right now. I'm in a point of my life where I'm between spaces, between goals, and that was really bothering me. This video made me realize that I can see it as a good thing, that I have so many possibilities in front of me. Thank you for making me want to play again.
And on that poignant note, where in the world can I download your gorgeous song cover?
That's great to hear! Never become anything! :D
Ah sorry, I only recorded that small part :/
Justice for Nona Gaprindashvili!
Yess
Was there a Scott Walker reference in here? Reference to the movie the Seventh Seal and, I'm fairly certain, a different mix of the Old Mans Back Again? If so, well done. Otherwise, still well done, enjoyed the video.
A minor criticism (but one nonetheless) I have is that I really wished you included citations to your literary references in the description.
Its a huge help and means a lot to people (including me) who've never even heard of these texts/works, but are very interested in learning more about the subject matter.
I just hope its something you consider adding in future videos.
I don't put them in the description because it's a patreon perk, but I always make sure to include enough information in the video that all references can be very easily found! It's why I screenshot articles instead of just quoting them.
+1000 for drive45!!!
YESSSS!
what is that outro song very good
Ah thank you! :)
It's ME, haha. But it's a cover of 'For The Love of the Game' by Semisonic, an very underrated song!
Ah thank you! :)
It's ME, haha. But it's a cover of 'For The Love of the Game' by Semisonic, an very underrated song!
Holy hell, the credits music is so good! Anywhere we can listen to / purchase your full cover? I like it so much more than the original.
Thank you so much! :D
I'm afraid this is all I recorded :( Don't think I'll be putting a full cover together.
Totally fair! You did an excellent job. It wraps the video up nicely.
Grace, your cover of the Semisonic song is amazing. When are you uploading it to Spotify?
Aw thank you! I'm afraid I only recorded the chorus :(
BUT I have now publicly uploaded the bit I did record here: www.patreon.com/posts/45175346
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I'm not kidding you when I sat there and went, "Did The Cranberries cover this song and I had no idea?" before reading it was you!
@@Littlestraincloud 😍
What do you after becoming the champion? No idea.
like many asians that watched fight club.
finish school, now what?
college, now what?
get a job, now what?
The show could've actually said something if the last episode wasn't just cliché and cheesy. All the people she stepped on emotionally for the sake of her obsession comes to save her? Yeah, right, good message.
Technoblade - "First Place is a prison"
is she on a break?
The thumbnail: Wan't
Where can we get your song?
Sorry, I only recorded that small bit for the credits :(
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat If you do more, let us know. I really like your voice !
Hey Guys, Grace is back (read this in the voice from Futurama's first All My Circuits episode. Hey guys, Calculon's back. Makes it more fun. I wish there were GIFs on TH-cam. Sigh.).
Me too! GIFs make everything more fun
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I just realised he actually says, 'Yaaaaaaay, Calculon's back' but I felt I was expressing a Yay anywhoo. Stay awesome, Grace.
So... Are you going to release your cover of "for the love of the game" and allow me to ignore the fact that I could have spared myself the several minutes long youtube research for an incredibly elusive regina spektor cover of the song, or am I doomed to dissatisfaction and embarrassment?
Ahh thank you so much! :D The original is elusive enough!
Alas, I only recorded the chorus. It was originally my intention to do the whole song but it was my first time using the music software I just got and things are hard to do haha!
This essay is really affecting and I don’t have anything terribly insightful to say in response or reaction but holy shit drive45 mentioned I love them …
Thank you :D